How does the Round ESL system work?

The "Round ESL" system combines the advantages of various well-known league systems, forming a new system which will be able to live up to eSport’s special expectations. It is a mix between the classic league (known as "Round Robin" or the Premier league), the "Swiss Round" system, a ladder and some new enhancements.

Before the "Round ESL" system is explained, here is a short listing of a classic league’s advantages and disadvantages (e.g. the Premier league) and a ladder:

"Round Robin" (premier league)

fixed days and clearly arranged groups seasons no entry possible during a season problems with dropouts number of participants is limited

"Ladder"

number of participants limited entry and exit always possible You can select your own activity individually good teams hardly ever play oneanother challenging / searching for opponents can be very laborious complex, big ladders (teams disappear in enormous pools) no highlights

If you combine the positive features of both systems, you arrive at the corners of the "Round ESL" system.

The league is divided up into several divisions. The size of the first division can differ from league to league. Every division is 2^n times bigger (16, 32, 64…) than the one "above" it. The more participants there are, the more divisions are created, and so the number of participants is unlimited.

Each participant can ascend or descend within the divisions every two weeks; the affiliation of a division is calculated with the ELO evaluation. Joining as well as leaving the league is possible at any time.
At the beginning, new participants are "unranked" within an own division and stay there until they have completed 3 matches. Afterwards they are entered into a division depending on their evaluation. Because of this regulation, a new member does not necessarily have to enter the very last division. An ascent from an unranked division can not take place, if there are less than 8 teams within the last division.

The fixtures of all of next week’s divisions are generated every week. An opponent with a similar skill level is automatically chosen, against whom one has not played for some time. The “unranked” participants begin within their own division. You can sign up for one or more dates a week to play matches, but you have to play on at least one day a week. If both teams agree, the match can also take place at an earlier date. Additionally, one can challenge opponents as in a ladder. Every team is therewith able to play as many matches a week as it wants to.
You are only allowed to challenge within your own division and the match must take place before the division is updated so that there are no overlapping division matches.

Due to the ELO system, different active participants of a league can play one another, without reaching a higher ranking just because they have played more matches. And due to the weekly obligatory match, no clan is able to sneak out of playing equally strong teams. No one can rest on his laurels for very long! This also means that a lot more is demanded from the participants, because they must attend a match every week.

Combined

"Round ESL" fixed days and clearly arranged groups mini seasons number of participants unlimited always chooses the best team more exciting climaxes no disadvantages known ;-)

Now we have talked a lot about the advantages and disadvantages, but what does a normal gaming week look like? An example:

In a league one has e.g. one obligatory day for a match, Thursday 8 pm (decided per poll). Additionally there are two optional dates on Wednesday and Sunday.

Clan A only wants one match per week and chooses Thursdays only. The Auto-Challenger chooses an opponent that is similar in skill every Thursday night to Friday morning. This opponent also has the Auto-Challenger activated. Clan A must play against this opponent the following Thursday. The match can also take place earlier, if both teams agree.

Clan B, on the other hand, can´t get enough of the game. They want to play a clan-war every day. So the team activates its details and has 3 clan-wars a week guaranteed. Additionally, the team may – as always - also challenge other opponents within the ladder (e.g. via IRC).